Ar Tarn’s fine form is no surprise to boss Walker

Matt Bozeat

There’s no question who’s been November’s manager-of-the-month in the ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League Premier Division.

But rewind a few weeks and Ian Walker’s job at Desborough Town looked to be under threat.

Ar Tarn head to Huntingdon Town tomorrow (Saturday) looking for a fifth straight win after putting a horror month behind them.

They picked up just one point in October and Walker said: “Was I worried? No, I wasn’t worried. If you’re not getting results, I suppose you’re going to be vulnerable, but I always thought we would turn it around and we have.

“We didn’t push the panic button and make big changes. I believed in the players we have here and we just had to make it work better.

“The way we’ve turned it around so quickly shows just how hard everyone at the club has worked.

“We won at Oadby and have gone from strength to strength since then. We look difficult to beat now.

Thirteen points from a possible 15 in November have lifted Ar Tarn up to ninth but Walker says his focus remains avoiding the drop.

He said: “November has given us a great platform and I didn’t want the month to end, but there’s still a lot of work to do.

“Teams below us have games in hand and if we didn’t keep picking up points, we will start to slide down the table.”

They headed to Waterworks Field having dropped just four points from their opening 11 games, but goals from Aaron Davies, Michael Byrne and Shaun Goodall sent them home empty-handed.

The sides meet again tomorrow and Walker added: “Back-to-back games are never easy.

“We know this won’t be the same game. They have had a look at us and will probably change things. They are still a good side.”

Andy Peaks has called on AFC Rushden & Diamonds to seize their chance to go further clear at the top of the Premier Division.

Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over Eynesbury Rovers took Diamonds five points clear and with title rivals Holbeach United and Yaxley in FA Vase action this weekend, Peaks says it’s vital his side claim maximum points at Boston Town tomorrow.

He said: “We could go further clear. It’s a massive game for us.

“Three points on Saturday would set us up really well for the Christmas spell but Boston are on a good run and it’s definitely a tough game.”

Last week’s loss at home to Yaxley ended a seven-game unbeaten run for Boston and Peaks says he’s desperate history won’t repeat itself at the DWB Stadium.

He said: “They beat us at their place around the same time last season and it was a major dent in our promotion push.

“We can’t let that happen again.”

Diamonds head to Lincolnshire having rediscovered their touch in front of goal.

They’ve netted eight times in wins over Long Buckby and Eynesbury in the last week.

Peaks added: “The goals had dried up a bit, but we’ve been very clinical. We probably didn’t create as much as we have been, but we took our chances.”